Improved animal-trap



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A. C. FLANDERS, OF OWATONNA, MINNESOTA Letters .Pa-tent No. 91,427, dated .Tune 15, 1869` napaovnn Altman-TRAP.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, A. O. FLANDEns, of Owatonna, in the county of Steele, and State of Minnesota, have invented a new andY improved Animal-Trap; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side view.

Figure 2 is a top view.

Thsinvetion relates to that class of animal-traps provided with a s1ipnoose,` and operated by a springarm.

The present improvement consists in ,the peculiar construction and arrangement of the springarm, noose, catch, and bait-hook, whereby the parts operate in a peculiar manner, and with several important advantages over ti'aps of'this class'heretofore brought into public use.

In the drawings- A is a base-board, which supports an upright board,

B, and an inclined wooden strip, C.

D is the bait-hook, extending through 'a slot in the upright plate B, where it is pivoted, as shown in lig. 1, its rear end being'formed into a loop, d, and its front end adapted for holding the'bait, shown in red, iig. 1.

E is a rod, pivoted to the incline C, and extending down slightly below the loop d, so that by depressing the latter a little, the lower' end of the rod may be inserted into the loop, as shown in Iig. 1, or removed therefrom. The upper end of the rod is bent down, as seen in fig. 1, to form a catch for setting the trap.

F is a lever, or arm, pivot-ed between lugs f j, attached to the upper side of the incline C, and capable of being bent hack to the position shown in iig. 1, or of being, by the operation of a spring, S, thrown forward, so that its free end will rest upon the metal strap G at the lower end of the incline.

R is the string in which the noose is formed, its upper end being attached to the free end of the arm F, whence it passes down through an eye, or staple, n., in the end ot' the incline C, and is formed into the noose beneath.

\Vhen the trap is set for game, the noose is' simply hung on the pins p p projecting from the front side of the plate B.

When set for mice, and other vermin or animals of small size, the noose isadjusted fon said pins, and between the pins o o '0, as shown in fig. 2.

Whenfset for birds-,850., the bight of the noose is brought forward over a. short post, M, where it is held by a spring, m, so that the noose will be brought in a straight line from the post M to the staple n, and, when operated,- will catch the birds by the neck, near the head.

The arm F is provided with a hook, e, which engages with tbe rod E, to sct the trap, in the manner shown in fig. 1.

rlhe operation of this improved trap will be understood from the drawings, without further description.

Its peculiar advantages over other traps of the same class lie in the arrangement of the incline and arm F, in connection with the noose R leading through the staple n, the effect of which arrangement is, first, to give the spring-arm great velocity'at the commencelnent of its movement, so as to insure the catching of the animal, and great power toward .theend of its movement, so as to insure the killing of the game, the arm and cord operating, toward the end of the movement, like a toggle-joint lever. In the second place, when the arm has been fully operated, and lies Hat on the strap G, the cord draws back longitudinally, with relation to it, passing slightly under its pivot a, so that the draught upon the cord, caused by the struggles of the animal or otherwise, only serves to lock the spring-.arm down, and prevent the escape of the game.

These two features, which do not.addto the cost of the trap, give it great certainty, and eciency of operation.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy The arrangement of the incline C, arm F, sprin S, staple n., cord R, and catch-apparatus e E D, w en said parts are constructed to operateg substantially in the manner and for the purposes specitied.

A. O. FLANDERS.

Vitnesses:

J. B. SeARLEs, A. O. HIGKMAN. 

